Along with the prevalence of image processing apparatuses, anyone can easily copy and transmit a document. However, although such easy copying and transmission improve the user's convenience, they also pose a significant problem in terms of leakage of information such as copying and transmission of a secret document and the like.
To solve this problem, an image processing apparatus which stores all read image data, printed image data, and transmitted image data in a recording device upon copying or transmission, and records information about the time, place, user, and contents of processing of the image data is available (e.g., see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-268791). With such technique, the following effect can be obtained. The administrator can investigate or track down the image processing apparatus which processed the document the information of which has been leaked, by checking the image data of interest.
However, in the conventional image processing apparatus described above, since an image is transmitted or printed before being completely stored in the recording device, the image to be investigated or tracked down later is not always completely stored when a sudden power down or a full capacity state of the recording device has occurred.